


Re:Jealousy

by Han Han (MBBHanulie)



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: (eventually) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exhibitionism, Flashbacks, Fluff and Smut, Insecurities, M/M, Roommates, Strangers to Lovers, Unrequited Love, but kihyun will probably get to you first, hyungwon is mom and he'll beat you up if you don't eat your breakfast, kihyuk, topki, twitter au rewrite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:56:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23491279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MBBHanulie/pseuds/Han%20Han
Summary: Minhyuk has everything he ever wanted. Thousands of followers, a part-time job he enjoys, fans, and a boyfriend who isn't really his boyfriend. His life is easy, and fun, and even going to classes at his university doesn't bother him. But the one thing, the one person, he absolutely hates, is Yoo Kihyun.Kihyun, the son of a rich politician, does his best to avoid social interaction, pretending that even his two close friends are no more than acquaintances to him. Tired of his inability to function properly in society, his father cuts him off- Sending him from his life of luxury to the world of the poor, in an effort to teach him the value of money and friendship.And Minhyuk, well, he's stuck right in the middle of it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hi everyone! This is the revamped fic version of my very first AU in honor of its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!! That twt au got a lot of traction, and I made a lot of friends and rediscovered my love for writing because of it. I genuinely hope you all enjoy this, and please, leave comments for me! I respond as quickly as I can ^^
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Hoseok | Wonho, Im Changkyun | I.M/Lee Jooheon, Im Changkyun | I.M/Lee Minhyuk, Lee Minhyuk/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 18
Kudos: 22





	1. Cut Off

**Author's Note:**

> original here: https://twitter.com/hanuliewritesmx/status/1116098506488344576
> 
> The sequel for this au, Gravity, may also get a revamped (AND FINISHED!!) version up here on AO3!  
> As many of you may know, my old writing account was rested on October 31st, and with it, the two AUs that hadn't been completed yet (Tenebrosity and Gravity).  
> I'll likely rewrite and finish both of them on here! So keep an eye out for those as well ^^ As always, thank you for reading, and I love you!

Minhyuk hadn't expected to be late to his first class- though really, he probably should have. 

Not only did his sedentary best friend  _ insist  _ he bring him a cup of coffee every morning, but today in particular, he had refused to wake up- until Minhyuk threatened to pour the drink on his head, which garnered him a groggy noise of frustration from the latter as he sat up, still covered in three blankets, a mop of messy hair atop his head. 

Minhyuk sighed in frustration then, angrily setting the cup down on the table and shooting daggers over at Hyungwon. "I swear to god, Wony, if I don't have a seat in my  _ least  _ favorite class of the day- I'll kill you." He ran his finger across his throat dramatically for effect, as if to prove his point, before grabbing the keys to their dorm and skipping out, praying that he wouldn't miss the last bus. 

He did. 

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Luckily for Minhyuk, he was mostly legs- which gave him a great advantage when it came to running. He was sure that if he  _ knew  _ how to swim, he'd be great at that too. Alas, reality had not created perfection. Regardless, he was running. Running so fast, in fact, that he swore he could feel his heart trying to get out of his chest, backpack -no,  _ book bag, _ he wasn't twelve- slamming into the side of his hip as he went. Oh, he was  _ definitely  _ killing Hyungwon when he got home. 

Finally, breathless, Minhyuk dashed up the stairs to the entrance of his university, shoving past anyone loitering in his way, giving the occasional hello to someone who recognized him from Twitter, and finally,  _ finally,  _ throwing open the door to his first class of the day. 

Thankfully, his professor still hadn't arrived.  _ Always the punctual type,  _ Minhyuk thought to himself with a smile. Scanning the room, he searched for a spot to sit. Usually, this wasn't an issue. Minhyuk was a bit of a hot topic at their college, his Twitter page so popular since he started working at Lotus that he'd even been verified- so people were usually quite eager to sit with him. Make extra room, even. 

Today, however, Minhyuk was pretty sure his luck was going to change. 

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Study, sleep, shower, eat, brush teeth, go to class, repeat. This was the schedule he had planned for today, for the day after; it was the schedule he’d planned the day before, and every day the week before that. Kihyun was a man of  _ planning. _ A man of  _ consistency.  _ And he wasn’t planning on changing that any time soon. He’d been the first to class, as usual, and took the spot at his favorite seat. 

There were a lot of reasons he preferred this seat: the trees hung in such a way that they shaded his eyes from the sun, but illuminated the rest of the desk- as if he had his own lamp. This also meant it was perfectly warm in the winter and, with its close proximity to the air vents, perfectly cool in the summer. He’d been sitting there since the beginning of the year; it was his  _ spot.  _

He also liked this particular seat because it was only a two-seater: which meant there were no groups of friends to crowd around him, no loud noises, no-

“Can I s-”

Kihyun glanced up from his paper, hoisting his bag up to take the empty seat that was beside him. No. Nope. Definitely not today.

“Uh, but there’s nowhere el-”

“It’s not in the stars.”

“Huh?”

Kihyun  _ really  _ looked up then, making direct eye-contact with the blonde boy who had come into class late. Lee Minhyuk, the bane of his existence. Not that the other knew it, though. Scrunching up his nose, Kihyun sighed, trying not to roll his eyes as the ridiculous amount of jewelry Minhyuk wore clanged together, a high-pitched ring sounding around them.

“I said,” He started, pushing his glasses up a little higher on the bridge of his nose, “I said it’s not in the stars. You know, destiny? Horoscopes? Not in the stars. Find somewhere else to sit.” And with that, the brunette turned back to his revisions, tuning out anything the other could possibly have said after that. No, he wasn’t the type to offer a helping hand to anyone, even for something as simple as offering an open seat to them. Maybe Hoseok, he admitted to himself, sighing softly as the sound of soft footsteps faded away from him. But no one else. He wasn’t.. Like that, anymore.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

The library was a blessing of a place, Kihyun often thought, when he’d spend the majority of his nights there, studying maybe more than a person should. But really, what else would he be doing? He didn’t need a job- his father made enough money that he had not only paid for a majority of his education with a scholarship, but his father had been paying the rest. And he  _ was  _ grateful. The thought of needing to get a job just to  _ live  _ horrified him.

In fact, as he thought about this, studying in the library, he gagged a bit, feeling his phone vibrate at the same time.

“Ah,” he whispered softly, though no one was there- at least not in this area of the library. “Hoseok..”

**_|Hyung (16:55):_ ** _ Kihyun, I’m disappointed in you v.v _ **_|_ **

**_|Kiki (16:55):_ ** _ Hm? What is it this time?| _

**_|Hyung (16:56):_ ** _ I was asking Minhyuk if he worked today and he told me what happened in class.. do you really have to be so.. Idk, cold?| _

Kihyun couldn’t help but smile then. It made him laugh a little bit, honestly, knowing that that flamboyant classmate of his had done no less than gone and  _ tattled  _ on him. 

**_|Kiki (16:56):_ ** _??? Who is Minhyuk? I don’t recognize the name? _ **_|_ **

**_|Hyung (16:56):_ ** _ Lee Minhyuk! He’s in your morning class?? He told me you made him sit on the ground for a whole two hours.. You can’t even remember the names of your classmates, Ki? _ **_|_ **

Kihyun tongued the inside of his cheek, humming to himself. Actually, he knew the name of every classmate he’d ever had- and Minhyuk was no exception. No,  _ Minhyuk  _ who often waltzed into class belting out some obnoxious song about mornings being beautiful,  _ Minhyuk  _ who wore clothes so loud he could hear them across campus,  _ Minhyuk  _ who glared at  _ him  _ every day as if he’d done absolutely anything to warrant such mistreatment, when he’d merely been trying to live his life in peace, in silence- no. He was no exception. He was  _ very  _ memorable.

A few more texts to Hoseok and the eyeroll of the century later- yes, sure, he was probably a  _ very  _ nice person, thank you Hoseok- Kihyun jumped, as if he’d been caught doing something bad, his phone ringing suddenly. 

Looking around in shock, Kihyun sent a quick goodbye text to his friend before answering, reclining in the chair with a smile. 

“Dad.”

“ _ Kihyun. I got a call from the housekeeper that you’re still not home?” _

“Studying, as always, dad. Library at school, remember?” It wasn’t uncommon for Kihyun to stay out until dark, but it was hardly even five now. Kihyun sniffed, wondering if maybe his father was getting too old to tell the time.

There were a few moments of silence, then:

“ _ Kihyun, we need to talk.” _

Kihyun frowned into the phone, tapping his fingers against the book in front of him.

“Is that.. Not what we’re doing right now?” Kihyun asked playfully, stretching out and setting down his pen in front of him.

“ _ Ki. I’m serious.” _ And he did sound serious. Very serious.

“Okay, then.. What’s up?” He asked, frowning harder.

He heard what sounded like a harrowed sigh, and then squeaking- maybe his father’s chair, moving as the older stood to his feet.

“ _ Kihyun, you can’t keep doing this. You need.. A life. Friends.” _

Kihyun laughed out loud at that, shaking his head. “Dad, I have friends. Well, I have Hoseok.”

“ _ And Jooheon, yes, I know, but..” _

The younger flinched at the name, grimacing slightly. Jooheon, the second, and more permanent bane of his existence. They were hardly friends- at least by his standards.

“..  _ but you.. The way you’re living now, I see no future for you, son. Do you have a girlfriend, even? Are you trying to make friends at school? You only go to school and to the library, surely you’ve made some kind of acquaintance while there..? _ ” His voice sounded hopeful, but Kihyun’s ears felt like they were rushing with blood.

“Dad..” He started, voice small. “I’m not interested in.. either of those..”

More silence.

“ _ Fine _ .”

“Dad?”

“ _ Fine, Kihyun. Then I have no choice. I don’t know how else to help you. You’ve become complacent. That’s a problem. You can’t be the person I let run my company like this. I can’t support you as long as you isolate yourself.. I’m.. Cutting you off, Kihyun.” _

And Kihyun, sitting alone in the corner of the library, ears ringing, could tell he was telling the truth, as sudden as it may be. His life was, for lack of a better word.. 

Over. 

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

There were few things that Minhyuk enjoyed more than the pleasant rush he got when he got home after work every day, free to throw himself on the bed, relax, and, of course, go through his Twitter feed. 

_ That.  _ That was what he loved more. He loved going on his phone, seeing that there were people who actually saw him as someone special. Someone who mattered. 

"Min, I said I got a text today." His best friend had been talking for awhile, but the blonde had been too caught up in going through his mentions to notice. 

"Hm?" He asked, looking up from his phone with a confused glance. 

Hyungwon sighed, moving to sit on the other's bed, draping his legs over Minhyuk's and rolling his eyes. "Put your phone down, please? So I can talk?"

Minhyuk cleared his throat, typing something quickly before setting the device face-down on the pillow beside him. "Sorry, it's Changkyun.." He said with an apologetic smile. 

Nodding, Hyungwon tilted his head back until it rested against the wall. Right, if it was Changkyun, he would understand. "I was saying, I got a text today. About that side room?"

Minhyuk cocked his head to the side for a moment, confused- until his head snapped to the side, eyes on the door that had plagued him since they moved in. What was in it?? He'd always wondered, wished he could go inside- but he didn't have a key, and sadly, Hyungwon told him he wasn't allowed to break into it. 

"Really? They're gonna open it?"

"Well.. Kinda." He chewed on his lip then, reaching over Minhyuk to grab a handful of candy from his desk, earning himself a heavy glare from the older boy. "They said to make sure someone is home tomorrow a little after noon because they're going to come see how much space we have in here? Something like that." He shrugged and smiled, popping a piece of candy in his mouth. 

Minhyuk pouted, slumping back against his pillow. "Damn, I have class until past lunch."

Nodding, Hyungwon smiled wider then, winking in Minhyuk's direction. "I know," He said, shoving the blonde lightly. "But  _ I'm  _ here all day tomorrow. Study day," He added, sliding off the bed and hopping to his own. Minhyuk threw a pillow in his direction then, missing and watching as his pillow slipped behind the couch, instead 

"Fucker." He said, sticking his tongue out and grabbing his phone. 

"Excuse me young man, I am your mother, how dare y-" Minhyuk stuck his pair of earbuds into his ears, drowning out the nagging of his unfortunately motherly childhood best friend, and resorting back to his current addiction: Twitter. 

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

This was it. This was his nightmare. 

Earlier in the day, Minhyuk had received a text from Hyungwon- something about the most  _ handsome hunk of a man  _ walking into their apartment, accompanied by someone significantly smaller- and significantly angrier. 

"What the fuck is this?" He asked, referring to the mass of boxes stacked by the front door. 

Hyungwon shrugged, settled into the couch with a book in his lap, glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. 

Minhyuk stood there for a few more seconds, just glaring- he supposed he would have been happy, knowing the mysterious room was finally opened. But, he wasn’t. And he wasn’t, because-

“Excuse me.” 

The voice came from behind him, and Minhyuk moved to the side, watching as his arch-nemesis, Yoo Kihyun, brushed past, grabbing a couple boxes and carrying them to his new room. Yoo Kihyun, heartbreaker extraordinaire.  _ Yoo Kihyun,  _ the boy who had made so many girls cry in the last year that Minhyuk couldn’t help but despise him.

No, it wasn’t a simple “No, thank you.” That Kihyun gave the girls who asked him out; instead he would give them withering looks, as if he was disgusted by their mere presence, heave the biggest sigh, and then smile- making his victim feel pathetic.

No one had been successful in their attempt to break through Kihyun’s cold shell, and Minhyuk hated him for it. He hated the way he had to comfort the nicest girls he knew when they came back, crying. It made him feel like he was in high school again. 

Thumbing at the belt loops of his jeans, Minhyuk still hadn’t moved from his spot by the door, silently simmering in his anger as the smaller boy moved back and forth from his room to the boxes in the entryway, until at last there were no boxes left. 

He wanted to say something, to confront Kihyun, to tell him to  _ leave,  _ but just as the latter reappeared, suddenly dressed in a clean white button up and soft black jeans, he muttered a soft “ _ Be back later,”  _ and left, shutting the door behind him without even bothering to look at the other two. 

“What the fuck, Hyungwon?”

Taking a deep, tired breath, the taller of the two pulled his glasses off of his face, setting them and his textbook to the side before giving Minhyuk a  _ look. _

“I don’t know, dude, how was I supposed to know tiny angry man had a beautiful, soft, precious hunk of a friend?” He sighed dreamily, pulling his hands to his chest and letting his eyelashes flutter.

Minhyuk rolled his eyes, sticking his hip out and putting a hand on it, sass incarnate. “Wony, that is hardly the issue here. Yoo Kihyun is going to be living with us.  _ Living  _ with us.”

Hyungwon shrugged then, humming softly. “Honestly, I think that’s the least of your worries..”

Blinking, Minhyuk stood up straighter, narrowing his eyes. “And why ever would that be, my dear best friend?”

“Well..” Hyungwon smirked, sliding his wide-framed glasses back into place. “Don’t you have work today?”

Minhyuk paused for a moment, his mind replaying the scene that had just unfolded before him. “Oh..  _ Oh.  _ Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” He groaned out loud, slinging his bag on his back and slipping his shoes on as quickly as possible. 

“And don’t forget about that blind date I set you up on after work! You’re getting off early for it, you already told me!” He heard as the door closed behind him. Minhyuk rolled his eyes, sure that the blind date was the last of his worries- he wished, though, that Hyungwon would stop meddling in his love life. He wasn’t interested, and he wished his friend would leave it at that. He had enough worries on his plate.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Kihyun was trying. He was trying  _ really hard  _ not to freak out. But Kihyun, well, Kihyun was a planner. And this was  _ not _ in his plan. No, Kihyun, who read his horoscope religiously at the beginning of every week, who had read something along the lines of “Good Fortune Will Come Your Way,” was not prepared to have his life turned upside down after a mere phone call. 

Not prepared at all. 

But by some amount of luck, and a gracious amount of help from his dear friend Hoseok, he was still standing, if only barely. 

And now, he was standing awkwardly behind a counter,  _ working,  _ and it was absolutely terrifying. He had no idea what he was doing, but the customers seemed happy, and he wasn’t breaking anything, so he was grateful.

“Break time!” A sweet voice called, and Kihyun swung his head around to see his best friend, light blonde hair bouncing ever so slightly, gesturing for him to come sit at a booth with him and Jooheon as one of his coworkers took the spot behind the counter that he had been occupying. Kihyun smiled, silently grateful that Hoseok was the shift leader at Lotus. He'd been given a lot of leeway as a server so far

Heaving a heavy sigh of relief, Kihyun took the seat beside Jooheon, letting his head hit the table with a soft groan. “Working  _ sucks, _ ” he grumbled, pulling out his phone in the process. Jooheon laughed, patting his back gently. 

“It’s not so bad, Ki. Hey, at least you didn’t have to hit the pavement to get the job; Hoseokie hyung was able to get you in right away!” He smiled down at Kihyun, who rolled his eyes and looked away, though he knew the younger boy was right. If it weren’t for him, he’d be homeless- and jobless. Somehow his friend had the best connections in school- and out. 

“By the way,” Jooheon started again, his voice significantly lower. “Who’s that other guy who works here? The cute blonde? I didn’t know Lotus had so many attractive workers..” 

Hoseok squinted for a moment, before recognition settled over his face. “Ah, Minhyuk? He’s been working here for awhile actually. It’s what made him ‘Twitter famous’.” He made air quotations with his fingers, smiling as he did so.

Frowning, Kihyun sat up, tilting his head to the side. “Minhyuk is Twitter famous?” He asked, hardly able to believe it. Sure, he was as cute as someone could get, but was that really enough to be..  _ Famous?  _ Jooheon seemed confused too, turning to search the store for the boy once more with a look of shock on his face.

“Yes??” Hoseok said in disbelief, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “He’s even verified? How did neither of you know that? We comment on each others’ posts all the time..” He pouted then, and Jooheon smiled, softly apologizing and promising that both of them would pay more attention to their feeds.

Kihyun, however, frowned, looking down at his phone. It was kind of annoying to know that the most annoying person he’d ever met had a  _ following. _ It made him wonder, just how much the world was falling into chaos, if a person like that was famous.

“-Kihyun made sit on the floor?”

Looking up at the sound of his name, Kihyun set his phone back down, feeling like it had burned him. “Huh?”

Jooheon huffed out an amused laugh, sitting back a bit and smiling over at Kihyun. “I said, to Hoseokie hyung, not you, I said ‘Is he the one Kihyun made sit on the floor?’ And Hoseokie was about to answer.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, that was him,” Hoseok answered with a frown, shaking his head softly.

Kihyun bristled slightly. He hated feeling like  _ he  _ was in the wrong- especially when, technically, he’d done nothing  _ bad.  _ “I didn’t make him do anything,” he snapped, making crescents in the palms of his hand as he clenched his fists. “It was his fault for being late. I didn’t  _ tell  _ him to sit on the floor. I’ve seen him share seats with people, why didn’t he just do that?”

It was quiet for a few moments, his sudden outburst making the air around them feel chilled. 

Jooheon sniffed softly, wiping his hands on the jean of his pants and taking a sip of the drink Hoseok had provided for him, eyes shifting to the side awkwardly.

“Ki..” Hoseok started, face pulled into a look of concern. 

“Sorry,” he yielded, running a hand through his hair and adjusting the collar on his shirt. “Let’s just not talk about it.”

The other two nodded, and then Jooheon was back on another subject. “So what about that cute guy that was with him? Do you think they were dating? He was hanging  _ all  _ over him.”

Kihyun looked back towards the front of the store. It was close to closing now, and Minhyuk had gotten off early, but he was still here, sitting at a table with some pink drink in his hand, talking to a girl who sat across from him. She looked like she had dressed for a date, and was very  _ obviously  _ flirting with him. No, he didn’t think that kid was Minhyuk’s boyfriend, it seemed.. Wrong.

“No,” Hoseok said under his breath, confirming his theory. “That was Changkyun. He’s had a crush on Min for awhile now, but uhm.. He keeps.. Getting rejected. If you look now, Min’s on a blind date. He got off early for it.”

Kihyun snapped his head to the side, watching the blonde then, curious. So, a blind date. Truthfully, he’d never been on one, but he was pretty sure both parties usually made an effort. It looked to him, though, that Minhyuk was being no more than polite, like he didn’t want to be there. Now  _ that  _ was something he could relate to. The girl said something then, and Minhyuk laughed, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. No, instead, he was fidgeting. Fidgeting a  _ lot,  _ in fact- playing with the hem of his white cotton shirt, and Kihyun was surprised the girl didn’t notice. But maybe he was being overly analytical. It didn’t concern him, anyways.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Unpacking was even  _ harder  _ than working. But maybe that was due to the fact that while at work, Kihyun’s main job was to stand around and look pretty. 

Regardless, after work Kihyun had headed straight “home” to unpack the few belongings he’d been able to pull from his own room before the house maid had been forced to lock him out. And now, he was sitting on the floor, head resting against the wall furthest from the door, and he could hear the two other boys arguing softly, their voices echoing in the small dorm.

Suddenly, there was silence, and Kihyun breathed a sigh of relief. He preferred to have his own space; he enjoyed the quiet of the mansion his father lived in, even if it was because said father was never home, and the people who worked there generally kept to themselves unless he needed assistance. So he was glad Hyungwon and Minhyuk had finally shut up.

Until he wasn’t.

| **_+82****** (22:33):_ ** _ Hey.| _

_ | _ **_Kitrash (22:34):_ ** _ Who is this?| _

| **_+82****** (22:34):_ ** _ Minhyuk.| _ _  
_ _ | _ **_Kitrash (22:34):_ ** _ Oh.| _

_ | _ **_Kitrash (22:35):_ ** _ How did you get my number?| _

_ | _ **_Lee Minhyuk (22:35):_ ** _ Hyungwon gave it to me.| _

Kihyun frowned, reaching up to pull his glasses off of his face. He didn’t even know why Hyungwon had it, though if he had to guess, he was sure Hoseok had freely given away his number to the lanky boy- likely without the latter even asking.

**_|Kitrash (22:36):_ ** _ Okay..| _

_ | _ **_Lee Minhyuk (22:36):_ ** _ Are you going to stay locked in your room the entire time you live here?| _ _  
_ _ | _ **_Lee Minhyuk (22:36):_ ** _ I don’t care how long you’re here, but it’s bad manners to ignore your roommates.| _

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Sure, bad manners. As if that was anywhere  _ close  _ to the current worries in his life.

**_|Kitrash (22:37):_ ** _ Don’t worry, I’m not planning on making friends with you two.| _

Swallowing hard, Kihyun set his phone to the side. He felt like his world was crashing down, brick by brick, and Minhyuk was just  _ another _ brick to be piled on top of it.

His phone dinged again.

_ | _ **_Lee Minhyuk (22:38):_ ** _ That’s.. Literally not what I said, but okay. We made food. If you want some, take it. Don’t starve yourself.| _

_ | _ **_Kitrash (22:38):_ ** _ Okay _ **_.|_ **

  
  


♡´･ᴗ･`♡

  
  


"So," Hyungwon started, towling his hair dry after the bath he had just taken, and slipping into a pair of his fluffiest pajama pants, "tell me again why you don't want to go on another date with that girl? Wasn't she pretty?" He looked up quickly then, giving Minhyuk a big grin before pulling a hoody over his head and settling into his bed. 

Sighing, Minhyuk set his phone down, still simmering a bit from his conversation with Kihyun. "Because," He said slowly, letting his head rest on the wall behind him, "I'm not looking for a relationship. That's it.." He frowned a bit, playing with the end of his T-shirt before speaking again. "She was pretty, very pretty, but I told you, I just.. Don't feel it. I tried doing the relationship thing before, remember? And look how that turned out." He chuckled softly, scrunching up his nose and turning away. His bed seemed strangely uncomfortable, suddenly. 

"Well I don't know, Min." The taller boy huffed, folding his arms across his chest. "I've tried setting you up with people, boys and girls because you said you  _ don't care _ but you're still just.. Stuck. And I don't know how to help you anymore." He rolled his eyes, reaching over to grab his own phone with a smile, eyes unreadable. "But," He added, raising his eyebrows, "I don't think the last time you tried ended as bad as you think. I mean, he's back, and still head over heels for you. That's something, right?"

Minhyuk froze, thinking about that for a moment. Well, Hyungwon  _ was  _ right. Changkyun would still come if he asked, no matter what. In fact.. He  _ did  _ feel in desperate need of suffocating affection right now, after the shit storm of a day he'd had. 

Feeling his stomach twist, the blonde rolled over, pulling his phone to his body and sending a quick text. 

Right. Now, he just had to wait. 

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

It was pretty late. Kihyun had unpacked the contents of his room already, and had taken to studying at the soft blue desk he'd moved into the corner of the room. Surprisingly, this little room tucked into the side of an already-lived-in dorm wasn't dirty, or cramped. No, instead, it was quite cozy, and there was, thankfully, a cute little window that Kihyun was sure during the day would fill the space with a warm light. 

Well, he was trying to think positive, anyways. 

The situation was still making him sick to his stomach. It was unbelievably sudden, and it frustrated him a bit that out of nowhere his father had been like " _ oh Kihyun I'm cutting you off"  _ Rather than speaking to him like an adult. 

But they'd never had a.. Fond.. Relationship. No, Kihyun had seen his father's eyes light up with joy only once, and he'd.. Messed that up, too. 

Jolted from his thoughts, the brunette looked up in shock as the sound of obnoxiously loud music reached his ears. Frowning, he set down the pen he'd been using to write his revisions with and stood up, walking over to the door. 

Surely, there was no way Minhyuk and Hyungwon were having a party of some sort? No, he'd been sure that the younger of the two had just been taking a bath. So unless it was Minhyuk.. 

Hesitating, he slid his phone out of his pocket, going to his most recent chat history and moving to type a message to the blonde. 

**_|Kitrash (23:22):_ ** _ Is that.. Music? It’s almost midnight..| _

**_|Lee Minhyuk (23:25):_ ** _ It’s still a half hour til midnight. Is there a problem?| _

**_|Kitrash (23:35):_ ** _ I’m trying to study.| _

**_|Lee Minhyuk (23:26):_ ** _ And I’m trying to live my life and get drunk off my ass, stop interrupting.| _

**_|Kitrash (23:27):_ ** _ What happened to manners?| _

**_|Lee Minhyuk (23:27):_ ** _ I’ll show some when you do.| _ __  
  


Kihyun breathed a long sigh of frustration. Of course Lee Minhyuk was going to have a party on a school night. How silly of him to think otherwise. He looked over at the door once more, wincing at the sound of high-pitched laughter and cans clattering to the ground. 

Now, Kihyun wouldn't outright call himself a clean freak. But if any of his friends were asked the same, they would agree profusely. Yes, he hated garbage. He hated clutter. And he hated absolutely anything near him being messy- almost to a fault. So maybe, just maybe, Kihyun was one hundred percent a clean freak. But who could blame him? 

More cans. Maybe even a glass bottle next. 

His head was itching. He had to clean it, he just  _ had  _ to. So, slipping his phone back into his pocket, Kihyun put on the best pokerface he could muster and gripped the doorknob, taking a deep breath before stepping out into the main dorm room. 

He was nervous. His heart was pounding a bit too hard, and he wished, once more, that he hadn't been put into this situation. But, here he was, and as long as he was here, he needed to pretend to be confident. Just like he did at school. 

When he stepped out, the first thing he noticed, to his relief, was that it was  _ not  _ a "party."

It was Changkyun, draped over Minhyuk and drinking with him, offering him more than friendly touches with an adoring gaze, though the older didn't seem to be reciprocating them. He wasn't exactly.. Refusing them, either, though, just letting the younger boy hold onto him as he drank a can of hard seltzer, head bobbing to the music playing on the stereo. Hyungwon was, for better or for worse, pretty much ignoring the chaos around him, nose deep in some text for one of his classes. 

When the three of them noticed Kihyun had entered the setting, he felt the vibe in the room alter dramatically. Minhyuk's eyes burned into his skin, every emotion visible on his face as he downed his drink, reaching for another and narrowing his eyes at the shorter boy. Kihyun stood there a bit awkwardly, eyes glancing back and forth among the trio, who had ceased talking entirely.

Visibly frustrated, Minhyuk stood up with a dramatic sigh, tossing his can behind him and walking to the small kitchenette, where, much to Kihyun's surprise, he grabbed a bottle of vodka- a big, glass bottle of the pinkest vodka Kihyun had ever seen in his life. Without a word, he walked back into the seating area and dropped down onto the couch, twisting the lid off and drinking straight from the bottle.

“Hyung,” a soft voice mumbled from the side of Minhyuk, Changkyun giving him a concerned gaze. “Isn’t that a bit much to drink on your own?” He seemed visibly uncomfortable, eyes darting to the bottle as if he were considering taking it away.

Minhyuk shook his head no, taking an even bigger drink of the vodka before setting it down on the table in front of him. Lid open, Kihyun could smell the sickly sweet substance from where he stood, a mixture of grapefruit and alcohol that assaulted his nose almost immediately before Minhyuk started to speak again. “I’m…. Fine, Kyunnie. I know my limitssss.” His body swayed a bit then, and Changkyun moved to pull the blonde close, lacing their fingers together in an attempt to keep him from reaching for the bottle again, despite the older’s whines of protest. 

Frowning, Kihyun sighed, silently stepping around the couch to pick up the various cans that had been scattered across the floor. Well, he supposed, if he was going to be forced to live here, he may as well.. Help out. Minhyuk was in no state to clean up his mess, and the idea of trash lying haphazardly in the dorm made him feel.. Gross.

“Ah, do you  _ have  _ to be like that?” Minhyuk called out at him, dislodging himself from Changkyun’s grasp and grabbing the bottle once more, ignoring the disapproving glance he got from Hyungwon. “It’s a  _ party, _ Kihyun. It’s supposed to get messy.” He spat the words in the shorter boy’s direction, and Changkyun chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around the older’s waist to support him as he swayed once again.

Kihyun stilled, looking down at the can in his hand for a moment before answering. “Is it.. Really a big deal? I just like things to be clean.” He mumbled, looking back over at the two who were tangled together just in time to see Minhyuk’s eyes narrow, his body tensed up.

Setting the bottle of alcohol down so hard that liquid splashed up and out of it, Minhyuk grit his teeth, glaring at Kihyun. “It’s not even your fucking house! Why are you here? Did I give you permission? Did Wony Give you permission? No! Just like any other fucking rich kid who thinks they’re the absolute shit, you just take, like everyone owes you something, and it’s-” Minhyuk froze, eyes going wide as his hand flew up to his mouth. Frantically, he scrambled to release himself from Changkyun’s grasp, stumbling on his way to the small shared bathroom and slamming the door behind him.

The three of them looked after him, stunned for a moment, before Hyungwon cleared his throat, finally sitting up from the spot on his bed and pulling a cellphone from his pocket. “Sorry, uh, he drank too much. I’ll text him to see if he’s okay..” 

The other two nodded, and Kihyun went back to picking up the cans and garbage still lying around, the awkward silence and distant sounds of wretching making his stomach twist. Finally the sounds stopped, and Hyungwon’s phone began to ding, giving Kihyun some relief that the blonde was okay. He didn’t come out, though, even after Kihyun had finished picking up the mess and the dorm looked semi-decent once again. He frowned, playing with the hem of his shirt and looking over at Changkyun and Hyungwon.

The younger of the two sat with his arms wrapped around his legs, staring down at the couch as if in deep thought. Hyungwon was still looking down at his phone, but making no effort to help Minhyuk in any way. Seeing the two of them just sitting there made Kihyun feel frustrated, his brow furrowing as he made his way to the bathroom without a word, knocking lightly.

There was a few seconds of silence, a soft ding from Minhyuk’s phone inside the bathroom and then- “Kihyun? Go the fuck  _ away. _ ”

Kihyun leaned up against the door, taking a deep breath. He really, really hated situations where he had to help strangers. He hated getting rejected for it even more, but for some reason he felt.. Responsible. “Minhyuk. Are you okay?”

“No I’m-” a soft hiccup, and then, “-not fucking okay, what do you think?” There was a gentle thud then, and Kihyun rattled the doorknob, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

“Hey, aren’t you tired? You drank a lot. I’m sure you don’t feel well. I’ll carry you to bed, just.. Come out?” His voice was hopeful, and his hand hovered over the doorknob hesitantly, fully prepared to open it and help the older boy to his bed, but also.. Nervous. He’d never met someone so adamantly against his presence, and he had absolutely no idea what he’d done to deserve it. From what Kihyun had seen before, Minhyuk got along well with everyone.. Except him. And he was certain it couldn’t have just been his unwillingness to let him sit at his table.

A whisper through the door reached his ears then, a whisper so slight he almost didn’t hear it, but when he did, he felt his heart sink, Minhyuk’s words reaching the deepest insecurities in him. 

A very soft, very.. Disgusted, “Why would I want someone like  _ you _ to help me..?”


	2. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was a mixture of guilt and regret that overwhelmed him, and he wanted nothing more than to make it disappear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! sorry it took a bit to get this chapter out! I've been working so much ㅠㅠ I hope you like it though. As always, you can find the original @hanuliewritesmx on twitter!

Kihyun sighed, setting down his drink and shaking his head. “No, Hoseok, I’m telling you, I’m certain Minhyuk hates me. You should have heard what he said last night..” He frowned, eyebrows furrowing. They had decided to meet for breakfast, a way for Kihyun to get out of the house, and the alcohol smell that still permeated it even as Changkyun and Minhyuk slept tangled together on the couch. Since meeting, Kihyun had been telling Hoseok of his unfortunate adventure the night before.

He adjusted the collar on his jacket, pulling it up a bit more to cover his skin. It was still cold, as if winter didn’t want to leave. But sometimes he wondered, if it only stayed for him. Hoseok, across the table, seemed comfortable in a jean jacket, while he continued to freeze despite his warm blazer.

“Ki,” Hoseok said lightly, smiling over at him almost sadly, “Minhyuk doesn’t hate anyone. Even that old lady who hits him with her shop door every day when he’s walking to work. He just goes ‘She probably didn’t see me!’ even though everyone knows the woman is rude to him because her daughter only eats at our cafe. There’s no way he hates you!” Hoseok insisted, shaking his head adamantly. “But,” he added, taking a sip of his mocha, “You told me that you couldn’t stand being around someone “obnoxious” like him anyways, right? So why does it matter? A lot of guys hate you, it’s not like this is something new..”

Kihyun let out an aggravated groan, leaning forward onto his elbows and staring at his friend pointedly. “First of all, why does everyone keep saying that? There’s not a lot of guys who hate me?? I don’t talk to anyone!” He huffed lightly, rolling his eyes and settling in his seat before continuing with his story of the previous night. “He got so drunk he couldn’t stand, Hoseok. He looked like.. Like a lost puppy? I really-”

“You wanted to take care of him, like that dog we found at the park last year.”

Kihyun froze, swallowing. Yes, that was it. That was exactly it. Minhyuk had reminded him of the fluffy white thing they’d found over a year ago, shivering in the park. That he’d been so heartbroken over, that he insisted Hoseok let him take it home; and he had, giving the pup a warm bath, a meal, and a home, until its rightful owner, a sweet little boy, had shown up at his door holding a “lost dog” poster. 

“Yeah..” He mumbled, turning to look away. “That’s exactly what it was..” Another sigh escaped his lips, and he began to fumble with his thumbs, looking down at the table. “But, when I tried to help him to his bed, he whispered something, like.. I just.. I don’t know what exactly I did to make him hate me. I think I’d feel less frustrated if I knew.”

Hoseok reached over, offering a kind smile and squeezing Kihyun’s arm lightly. “Ki, I know you. I know your heart. You’re a good person.. Just…. Give him some space, okay? This is a hard transition for all of us. Whatever he said, drunk Minhyuk or not, I doubt he really meant it.”

With his eyes still locked on the table, Kihyun nodded, his heart heavy. Right. Everything would be okay, in time.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Minhyuk’s head was pounding. And the light that was coming in from the window behind Hyungwon’s bed wasn’t helping in the slightest. Groaning, he rolled over, pressing his forehead against the cold wall and wrapping his arms around his stomach. Fuck, how much had he drank? His body felt like it was on fire, shirt damp from sweat. 

“Hyungwooooon!” He called out, face pressed into his pillow. No answer.

Frustrated, he rolled out of bed, half wrapped in his blanket. The faint sound of the shower running caught his attention, then, and he grumbled, standing to his feet with a grimace and trudging over to the bathroom. “Chae Hyungwon!” He called, pounding on the door, “Come out here and take care of me!” Minhyuk rattled the doorknob then, pouting as he waited for his friend to answer him.

Instead, a different voice reached his ears. “Sorry, hyung, Hyungwon isn’t here,” Changkyun’s deep voice called out, followed by a slightly sultry, “But you can come join me if you want, I’d be more than happy to take care of you.”

Flushing, Minhyuk took a step back from the door, pulling the blanket a bit tighter around his body. “U-uh, no, that’s okay Kyunnie, just, keep on showering, thanks.” He huffed then, making his way back to the bed and flopping down. He reached over to the table, grabbing his phone and opening the group chat the three of them shared.

_||Squad||_

**_|Min (13:13):_ ** _What the fuck_ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (13:14):_ ** _Hm?_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:15):_ ** _Why didn’t anyone wake me up_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:15):_ ** _And why is Kyun in the shower???_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:15):_ ** _What goes on????? I work today??_ **_|_ **

**_|Kyunnie (13:16):_ ** _Are you imagining me, hyung? ;)_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:16):_ ** _Wtf no I just wanna know what the hell is going on and why my head is killing me_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:17):_ ** _Feels like an elephant sat on my entire body ㅠㅠ_ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (13:17):_ ** _Oh, I didn’t wake you because you don’t have class today~ also Hoseok called, and he said he’s closing the cafe while he’s out of town, so just stay home til he messages you_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:18):_ ** _I feel dead omg_ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:18):_ ** _but still why is kyun here_ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (13:18):_ ** _You asked him to stay, while drunk, and he listened, against my will._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:19):_ ** _fuck_ **_|_ **

**_|Kyunnie(13:19):_ ** _I’m almost done in the shower, hyung <3 _ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:20):_ ** _fuuuuuck_ **_|_ **

  
  


With a heavy sigh, Minhyuk let his phone drop onto his chest. The familiar chime of Twitter had been reaching his ears for quite some time now, probably a response to whatever nonsense he’d posted the night before in his influenced state, but the call wasn’t quite tempting enough for him to move. He whined, rolling back against the cold wall and curling into a tight ball, wishing the throbbing pain would stop. He was surprised Hyungwon had left him there; though he supposed he may have done something the night before that made the taller angry.

It wasn’t often that Minhyuk drank so much he couldn’t see, but the weight of everything that had happened in just one day was too much for him. Kihyun at school, as always, Kihyun at work, and Kihyun at-

His phone dinged again, though this time it wasn’t the familiar sound of Twitter.

**_|Kitrash (13:24):_ ** _There’s medicine on the counter for you._ **_|_ **

Minhyuk grit his teeth. God, the short menace was everywhere, even in his dorm-room, his _home._

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:25):_ ** _Why?_ **_|_ **

**_|Kitrash (13:25):_ ** _You don’t want it?_ **_|_ **

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:25):_ ** _I’m fine, actually._ **_|_ **

It was a lie. A big, fat lie. His head hurt so bad that he almost wished he had taken up Changkyun on his offer. The pain was making his stomach twist, and he could feel beads of sweat on his neck forming again. 

**_|Kitrash (13:26):_ ** _I’m only a room away. I can hear that you’re in pain. Just take it._ **_|_ **

Minhyuk glared down at his phone. _Just take it,_ he said; as if it were that simple. Minhyuk hated accepting offers from people he didn’t know well, let alone the person who had garnered his unrelenting hatred for the past year, and it made him even angrier that Kihyun had seen right through his attempted facade. Rolling his eyes, (albeit painfully,) Minhyuk glared down at the cellphone, typing his response.

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:27):_ ** _I literally want nothing less than to take that medicine._ **_|_ **

**_|Kitrash (13:27):_ ** _Why? Because it’s from me?_ **_|_ **

_Bingo,_ Minhyuk thought with a scoff, though he chose not to answer, instead changing the subject.

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:27):_ ** _Why are you home?_ **_|_ **

**_|Kitrash (13:28):_ ** _I only had two classes today. They’re over._ **_|_ **

**_|Kitrash (13:28):_ ** _You should take the medicine._ **_|_ **

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:29):_ ** _We’re not friends. Stop acting like you care. It’s annoying._ **_|_ **

**_|Kitrash (13:29):_ ** _Why do you hate me? What did I do?_ **_|_ **

Minhyuk couldn’t help but let out a laugh at that. What _didn’t_ he do? Time after time, Minhyuk had been the one to comfort a girl who had come running to him crying after being rejected by Kihyun. He’d listened to them, seen the way Kihyun treated the underclassmen who asked him for help; seen project partners sit despondently at the desk while the ravenette took control of the project, not allowing them to get a single word in. He’d watched from afar as arguably the most sought after man at their university ignored kind people asking for help, pretending like no one existed but him. In Minhyuk’s eyes, Yoo Kihyun was the worst kind of person.

**_|Lee Minhyuk (13:30):_ ** _Please leave me alone, seriously. Changkyun is getting out of the shower, he’ll take care of me. Stop pretending. Thanks._ **_|_ **

The younger had indeed exited the shower, and Minhyuk glanced up to see a very shirtless Changkyun toweling his hair as he made his way over to the blonde with a sweet, puppy-like smile. Minhyuk went to put his phone away when the younger joined him on the bed, snaking his arm around his waist, but not before seeing Kihyun’s final text.

**_|Kitrash (13:30):_ ** _Drink lots of water. It will make you feel better._ **_|_ **

_Sure,_ Minhyuk thought, letting the phone slide out of his hand and into the folds of his blanket with an annoyed sigh.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Kihyun wasn’t really sure what compelled him to message Hoseok and ask for Minhyuk’s “ **_Famous Twitter account,”_ **but he had. And he regretted it. While yes, there were hundreds of aesthetic pictures of the blonde, and tens of thousands of likes and interactions, hidden within all of that was a few- no, a lot, actually- posts that Kihyun was sure were targeted at him.

“Yuckhyun? Really, Minhyuk? That’s the best you’ve got?” He laughed to himself, but in actuality, he felt a bit sick to his stomach. The followers of the account seemed to know he was talking about Kihyun, too, and that made him feel worse. Most of the posts about him talked about his horrible personality and ‘inability to feel emotions.’ 

“I don’t even remember telling someone I wouldn’t go out with them last week…..” He mumbled softly, scrolling through the timeline with a frown. And to top it all off, Minhyuk regularly referred to Kihyun as his “enemy.” He was absolutely stunned.

At first, when he’d began to look through the photos, his chest had felt.. Tight. In all of Minhyuk’s pictures, he looked.. Lively, excited.. Cute. Like a puppy. But the more he’d scrolled, the more he’d felt that squeezing turn to crushing, and the soft smile that had rested on his lips turned to a frown. In just the day that he had spent there, Kihyun had seen a lot more of Minhyuk than he’d ever seen in class. The bubbly blonde was a lot _less_ bubbly in private, and that alone had surprised him. But now, going through this Twitter account, Kihyun felt a strange sense of sadness, as if an opportunity had been taken from him before he’d been able to look at it.

He sat up straight, using the newfound sadness as a type of muse as he went to his own, much less “famous” Twitter account, using it as an outlet to vent his own distress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_Aquila K @starmeykh:_ **

_When comes the Rain,_

_Let it flow._

_For the Sun and the Stars?_

_I do not know._

_-ykh_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Twitter had been the one place he’d been able to freely post his thoughts, his feelings, the inspiration he got occasionally, since detaching himself from all other social media outlets. It was the one place he felt safe, but after reading all of those posts, even it seemed scary to express himself on. Regardless, he sent the post, curling into his seat with a frown. Hoseok said they would need to go to the cafe at four today. That gave him a few hours of downtime, still.

He swiped the screen on his phone until he reached the horoscope app he’d been using. This was his favorite thing, usually. Feeling out of control was the one thing he couldn’t stand, and reading the horoscope of the day made him feel just a little more in control.

Pushing a strand of his dark hair back, Kihyun’s eyes flicked back and forth across the screen, his brow knitting as he read through the Sagittarius horoscope. “I’ll gain a companion who.. Understands me?” He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head and sliding the phone across his desk. “Hoseok might be right,” he mumbled, hanging his head. “Maybe these things are fake..”

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Changkyun had stressed Minhyuk out almost to the point of no return. After dislodging himself from the brunette’s tight grasp at least five times, he’d had enough, and sent the younger home. The text messages between the three of them after that had left him feeling.. Empty.

_“You need to find a real boyfriend. You can’t pine after Minhyuk your whole life. I’ll set you up with someone, promise.”_

Hyungwon had said this to Changkyun, and it made Minhyuk’s stomach twist in ways he hadn’t expected it to. Complain as he might about Changkyun’s constant presence in his life, it was something he relied on throughout the day, and Hyungwon, the bastard, knew it.

That’s why he was trying to protect the both of them, and keep them separate from each other.

Minhyuk knew their relationship was less than healthy. And he wanted Changkyun to move on, to be happy.. But at the same time, he didn’t.

He was terrified of being alone.

Sighing, the blonde stood to his feet, groaning as he did so and wincing at the pain in his head. He almost wished that he had taken the medicine Kihyun left him, but his stubbornness prevented it. He didn’t want anything Kihyun was willing to give him. The guy couldn’t even let him sit somewhere in class, and now he wanted to pretend like he was a good person? Leaving him medicine, really. How stupid did he think Minhyuk was?

He shook his head, making his way for the shower. Well, Hoseok had texted him and said the both of them needed to be at work before four-thirty, and considering it was already two, he _definitely_ needed to get ready. Glancing at Kihyun’s “bedroom” door, Minhyuk narrowed his eyes before stepping into the bathroom, taking a quick look in the mirror. Wow, he really did look like shit. His eyes were swollen, lips bruised, (thank you, Changkyun,) and his hair was a matted mess. He ran his fingers over the soft skin of his lips, feeling his heart twinge again. 

It was a mixture of guilt and regret that overwhelmed him, and he wanted nothing more than to make it disappear.

Pulling back the curtain, Minhyuk turned the faucet on, turning the handle so that it was as hot as it could get and sticking his hand under the water, waiting until the sting was worse than the pain in his chest before pulling back with a hiss and turning it back down to a normal temperature, lifting the stopper to get the shower flowing at last and peeling the sweat-damp clothes from his body before stepping in. It didn’t hurt as much anymore.

The shower smelled sweet, like honey. Minhyuk wasn’t used to this smell; usually Changkyun just used his body wash, so it always smelled the same, even after he showered at their place. Curious, the blonde opened his eyes, looking around until he saw the culprit: some fancy body wash and hair product set that were all honey-scented. There was even a face scrub sitting with it, honey and lemon scented. He scoffed, instantly knowing who they belonged to. It hadn’t occurred to him that Kihyun would take up space even in the bathroom, though he figured he should have expected it. God only knew how long the nuisance would be staying with them. 

Choosing to ignore it, Minhyuk grabbed his own berry-scented body wash, humming to himself as he started to relax within the shower. It was a safe space, even if he had to share it with someone he barely knew. As long as the door was closed, it was safe, and he could relax. 

He’d been in there maybe twenty minutes when a knock sounded at the door, jolting him out of the musical daze he’d been in. 

“What?!” He called out angrily, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. He’d been singing a ballad quite loudly, forgetting anyone was in the house, and the knock had scared him, and left him feeling embarrassed.

“Uhm..” a soft voice spoke from behind the door, Kihyun, almost too quiet to be heard over the running water. “I left my earrings in there.”

Minhyuk paused, stepping out from under the water and sticking his head past the curtain to look over at the shelf under the mirror. Indeed, a pair of green studs sat in a small box, and Minhyuk hadn’t noticed them until now. “What, you need them now??”

He heard Kihyun clear his throat, and the sound of fabric could be heard running across the door as, he assumed, Kihyun pressed closer to the fiberwood. “Actually, uh, I was about to leave, but.. I heard the water running and realized I wasn’t ready.”

There was silence then, as Minhyuk processed what he’d said, eyes narrowed in confusion. “Because.. Of your earrings..?”

“Yes.” Kihyun said flatly, and Minhyuk heard him adjust himself against the door once again. “Is it too late to get them?”

The blonde couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief, shaking his head before pulling the curtain shut and sighing in frustration. “ Jesus Christ. The door’s unlocked. Come in, grab them, and leave. Don’t talk to me, just grab them and go.”

He waited for a response, but there was none, just a few seconds of silence before the door opened, and a rush of cold air hit Minhyuk, making him seek comfort in the running water once more. He felt relieved that Kihyun had actually listened to him, but the relief didn’t last long.

“Hey,” he heard, and felt his blood boil, a hot breath leaving his nose as he closed his eyes in annoyance.

“Hay is for horses,” he responded, breathing deeply to keep his calm.

He swore he heard Kihyun laugh under his breath, and then, “Your voice is really pretty.”

Minhyuk’s eyes flew open in shock, and he felt a bit more exposed, even though Kihyun most certainly could not see him. “I thought you were a fucking genius,” he sputtered angrily, refraining from throwing the razor that he’d been using as a microphone over the curtain and at the smaller boy. “But you never seem to listen. Didn’t I tell you not to fucking talk to me??”

A couple seconds of awkward silence before the ravenette spoke again. “I just wanted to compliment you. You still sound like you don’t feel good, though.” His voice was further away, like he was finally leaving the bathroom. “Take the medicine?”

The creaking of the door sounded, and Minhyuk could tell he _was_ leaving. “I probably will not do that!” he called as a soft **_click_ **sounded, leaving him alone at last. God, was Kihyun infuriating. 

Minhyuk went back to finishing his shower, no longer in the mood to continue his squeaky clean concert, instead feeling his cheeks flush with anger, embarrassment, and frustration.

He couldn’t wait until all of this was over.

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Kihyun _definitely_ hadn't gone over to Jooheon and Hoseok's flat in a fit of frustration and loneliness, and he _definitely_ wasn't smiling at his phone like a dumb puppy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_Minty Min @puppymess_ **

_Fine, I took the stupid medicine, but not because you told me to!_

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Hey, what do you have on your face," Jooheon exclaimed in feigned disbelief. "It can't be. A smile?? Someone call the doctor!" He laughed, and Kihyun looked up at him angrily. 

"Jooheon," A calm voice spoke from behind, resting a warm hand atop both of their shoulders, "leave Kihyun alone. He's been in a bad mood all afternoon, and he has to work soon." Son Hyunwoo, their upperclassman and gastronomy major, had joined them, as Kihyun had only gone over with the excuse that he wanted to talk about the project they'd worked on together. 

The relationship he had with Hyunwoo wasn't a close one; they weren't much more than peers in a couple of classes, but Kihyun always appreciated his presence nonetheless. It was calming. 

Kihyun relaxed under Hyunwoo's touch, focusing back on his phone. Minhyuk didn't know that Kihyun had followed him on his private account; he didn't know that he had turned on the blonde's notifications, and he didn't know that Kihyun knew he had taken the medicine. But the ravenette felt much happier. 

He cleared his throat and stood to his feet, forgetting the project entirely and heading towards the kitchen. 

"Alright, let's make a quick meal before I head to work." He said brightly, rummaging in the cabinets. Hyunwoo grunted in agreement, following after the younger without hesitation. 

"Uh.." Jooheon said softly, looking around the living room. "I dunno what happened, but I'm down for free food!"

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Minhyuk had arrived at the cafe a little more than half an hour before Hoseok told him to be there, hoping to get some down time on his phone before customers started pouring in. 

What he got instead, was the incessant beeping of his messenger, where Hyungwon was spamming the group chat.

Minhyuk narrowed his eyes. “ _Your enemy’s out walking around town,”_ Hyungwon wrote quickly, and then “ _He looks like a model.”_

Minhyuk scoffed, shaking his head. He wasn’t blind. Kihyun was one of the most attractive people he’d ever seen, and that gave him another reason to hate his guts. He certainly didn’t need to be told by Hyungwon-

_Holy shit._

He swallowed, staring down at the picture the taller boy sent. Wow, Kihyun looked better than he usually did. His normally slicked back hair hung naturally across his forehead, the contrast between the deep black of his hair and the honey-milk complexion giving him a sweet, approachable appearance. And, surprisingly, he had a hint of a smile on his lips. 

“What the fuck..” Minhyuk breathed, shaking his head and dropping his phone like it had stung him. He didn’t pick it up again until the dings started getting obnoxious once more, and looked down to see that Hyungwon had sent another picture, of Kihyun’s friend and an underclassman that Minhyuk had seen before. Cotton candy hair colored orange and the cutest dimples he had ever seen- and Changkyun was going crazy in the group chat; all caps lock, excited screeching. The excitement made Minhyuk smile, but at the same time, his heart felt heavy. 

The door to the break room opened, and in walked both Kihyun and his friend, as if they knew Minhyuk and company were texting about them. The blonde flinched, almost dropping his phone, and he turned his head to the side, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, but his ears were burning, like he’d been caught red-handed. The two of them left without saying anything, leaving the blonde alone in the room once more. 

He sighed, letting his head fall back against the chair. There was no logical explanation for this, for Kihyun living with him, working with him. Each and every situation was driving him mad, and it had only been two days. He had to do something. Narrowing his eyes, he unlocked the phone once more, sending a quick message to the group chat. 

_||Squad||_

**_|Min (13:58):_ ** _Kyun, Jooheon is here with Kihyun. If you want to see him, come by in about fifteen minutes._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (13:59):_ ** _I'm gonna try to get Kihyun fired today._ **_|_ **

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

He was trying hard to think of a way to convince Hoseok that Kihyun should get fired, without causing too much harm. So hard that he wasn't actually working.. Just sitting at a table, thinking hard. Finally, it clicked. Kihyun was antisocial. What better way to get him fired than to convince Hoseok that his own known personality traits had caused his downfall?

With a smile, he slid out of the booth he sat in and made his way for the office, where Hoseok said he'd be doing paperwork for the night. Taking a deep breath, and putting on the best “concerned” face he could, Minhyuk pushed the door open, surprised to see his boss smiling down at his phone instead of doing.. Any kind of work. 

Minhyuk cleared his throat, and Hoseok jumped, looking up quickly and flipping his phone face down. “A-aren’t you supposed to be working??” He asked frantically, his cheeks a deep shade of maroon. Minhyuk laughed softly, shaking his head.

“I just went for a bathroom break,” he lied, hesitantly walking up to the desk and pulling out a chair, trying on his best _concerned_ face.

Hoseok seemed to notice, eyebrows furrowing instantly as he reached over, taking one of Minhyuk’s hands. “Min, what’s up? Did something happen?”

The younger shrugged, keeping his eyes down on the desk. It would be easier to lie if he didn’t have to look him in the eye. “I just.. I’m worried about.. Kihyun. I don’t think he’s fit for this job….”

There were a few seconds of silence before Hoseok spoke again. “What do you mean?”

Struggling to keep a straight face, Minhyuk sighed, shaking his head. “It’s just.. Kihyun doesn’t like people, you know? I feel like he’s having a rough time working here. But he’s too stubborn to quit.” He smiled up at Hoseok apologetically, as if he felt pity for Kihyun. He was sure Hoseok would see it from his perspective, agree that it might not be in the best interest of the cafe to keep him on.

Much to his surprise, however, Hoseok pulled away, expression flat as he stared at the younger. “Minhyuk, I know what you’re doing.”

“Huh?” The smile on his face faltered, but he tried not to let his surprise show.

“I know, Minhyuk. Kihyun found the posts on your twitter. The posts about him. I know you don’t like him, and I know what you’re trying to do.” Hoseok looked exasperated almost, as he rested his elbows on the desk, and head in his hands. “Listen, I don’t know what happened between you two, and neither does he. But Kihyun is here based on _my_ recommendation. He’s doing a good job, and stepping out of his comfort zone. If you don’t like him being here, Min..” He took a deep breath, looking at Minhyuk with more than an ounce of pity. “Then you can leave.”

  
  


♡´･ᴗ･`♡

He didn’t leave. As much as he wanted to, he needed the money. At least, he needed to pay Hyungwon back. So he stayed, and did his best to pretend like he wasn’t affected by his hyung’s words. Hoseok was in a grade higher than them, and was someone Minhyuk had always looked up to. But now, he’d made his hyung mad, and for Hoseok, that was rare. 

Sighing, Minhyuk folded his apron and placed it in his locker, heart heavy. God, he didn’t even want to be home right now. It felt as though he had no safe place now, if even his Twitter, the place he’d always gone to vent his frustrations, had been seen by the bane of his existence. Yes, truthfully he did have a private account; but that account was used to talk about one person and one person only: Im Changkyun.

Im Changkyun, who had spent the night sitting in a corner, fawning over one of Kihyun’s friends. Forgetting that Minhyuk was even there. He was really having an awful night. 

Stepping outside, Minhyuk slid his cellphone from his pocket, shooting his friends a quick text.

_||Squad||_

**_| Min (21:25):_ ** _I’m going to walk around town for a bit. I’m so frustrated that I’m shaking._ **_|_ **

**_| Wony (21:25):_ ** _What happened? Explain._ **_|_ **

He let an airy laugh out, rolling his eyes. What hadn’t happened?

Walking out to the sidewalk, he thought for a moment before responding, eyebrows furrowed as he typed.

**_|Min (21:26):_ ** _Hoseok knows my tweets are about Kihyun. He doesn’t understand the situation, so instead of being comforted I was lectured._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (21:26):_ ** _I get that it looks like I’m just being mean to someone for no reason. But you guys know I’m not like that.._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (21:27):_ ** _There are plenty of rude people at our uni. I usually just ignore it. But I swear Kihyun is trying his hardest to hurt people, and I just cant STAND it._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (21:27):_ ** _How can I be nice to someone like that?_ **_|_ **

He took a deep breath, his speedily typed rant over, and waited for a response. Hyungwon seemed to be typing for quite a bit, and Changkyun was quiet. But finally, the response came.

**_|Wony (21:29):_ ** _Min, this may not be what you want to hear, but I think Kihyun’s just painfully oblivious. I’ve been watching him since he moved in, a little.. Self study, you know, since my major is psychology. Maybe he acts like this cuz something happened in his past.._ **_|_ **

Minhyuk blinked in shock, most certainly _not_ expecting that type of response from his best friend. His eyes narrowed, fingers gripping his phone tightly as he reread it over and over before responding.

**_|Min (21:30):_ ** _I don’t care. He’s at my house, at my job, he stalked my twitter, it’s like he knows everything about me and I know absolutely nothing. And then he wants to pretend to be nice to me?? Like, obviously it’s a facade._ **_|_ **

**_|Kyunnie (21:30):_ ** _Then why not try to find out, hyung?_ **_|_ **

Ah, at last, Changkyun appeared.

**_|Wony (21:31):_ ** _What._ **_|_ **

**_|Kyunnie (21:31):_ ** _Like, get to know him, pretend to be close with him to see if he’s lying and trying to trick you._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (21:32):_ ** _I want to drink every time I see him._ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (21:33):_ ** _Yeah I don’t think this is a good idea.. And sometimes secrets are better left untold.._ **_|_ **

Stopping in his tracks, Minhyuk stared down at his phone, dumbfounded. Hyungwon definitely just said he wasn’t cut out for this kind of recon, and that made his pride sting a bit.

**_|Min (21:34):_ ** _Wait, you think I can’t handle it?_ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (21:34):_ ** _No, that’s not what I said at all, Min. Don’t start this nonsense._ **_|_ **

**_|Min (21:35):_ ** _I can totally handle it._ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (21:36):_ ** _Minhyuk._ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (21:37):_ ** _Hello??_ **_|_ **

**_|Wony (21:39):_ ** _Oh god he already put his phone away.._ **_|_ **

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Kihyun was enjoying the night, walking along the edge of the park near the dorms with a gentle smile on his face. The pollution was low, and he could see the faint markings of twinkling stars in the night sky. His favorite thing in the world was their unabashed beauty, the way they continued to shine despite others being unable to see them. They were his one true constant. 

Hoseok had asked him before he left if he was feeling alright, apologizing on Minhyuk’s behalf over and over. But truthfully, Kihyun wasn’t bothered in the slightest. It made him _sad_ that the blonde had taken such an instant dislike of him without him even knowing. But he wasn’t angry. Hoseok, on the other hand, was angry, and that left Kihyun uncomfortable. He didn’t want to cause a rift in their friendship. 

The ravenette sighed, sitting down on a bench and leaning back so he could stare up at the stars without any risk of injury. In a way, he wished he could have the same confidence as that of a star, to shine even when no one was looking. Perhaps at one point, he was like that. But things had been different since..

He felt the tears well up before he could stop them, repressed memories pushing to the surface and making him feel small, insignificant, once more. He thought of beautiful nights, like this, beautiful smiles, beautiful eyes.. And terrible words. His chest felt tight, and the tears wouldn’t stop anymore. 

The soft sound of gravel crunching under someone’s shoe caught Kihyun’s attention, and he looked to the side, eyes wide. There stood none other than Lee Minhyuk, looking at him just as shocked as he was.

It was embarrassing. Embarrassing being seen like this. Kihyun cleared his throat, using a single hand to cover his face, cover the tears that he was sure could be seen in the moonlight glow, pretending like he hadn’t seen Minhyuk at all. He figured the older boy would walk away, leave him to wallow in his sadness, pretend he didn’t exist either.

A few seconds of silence passed, until, much to Kihyun’s surprise, the crunching of gravel got closer, and he was suddenly aware of a warm presence sitting next to him on the bench. It was quiet, still. Rather than say anything, the two of them sat in near silence, listening to the sound of their breathing, the soft click of katydids and chirping of crickets, and the gentle noise of leaves rustling in the calming night breeze.

He didn’t know how long they were there. Time seemed to be endless, but the world around them was unchanging. Quiet. Kihyun sniffled, wiping away the rest of his tears and staring down at the ground for a moment before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Minhyuk looking up at the sky, blonde hair tousling in the wind, expression unreadable.

“It’s getting late,” Minhyuk mumbled, swallowing. “We should go home.” He continued, standing to his feet and walking off in the direction of their building without allowing the ravenette a word, expecting him to follow.

Kihyun stared after him, eyebrows furrowed as he watched the back of his roommate get further and further. The very sight left him feeling helpless, like time was moving ever so fast now, like he just couldn’t get his footing, and was falling behind drastically. He picked up his belongings frantically, wiping at his face once more before jogging after the taller boy, heart heavy. 

Nothing felt right anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next update, where you'll learn more about the strange relationship between changhyuk~


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